This invention relates to certain butylamines and butenylamines. In particular, this invention relates to certain butyl and butenylamines having aryl and benzocycloalkyl disubstitution in the 4-position. The novel compounds provided herein are valuable pharmacological agents, especially useful in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias in humans.
There are several types of arrhythmias which afflict mankind, and each type may have a different underlying condition as its cause. The more serious conditions causing arrhythmias are generally myocardial infarction and digitalis toxicity. When treating arrhythmias, it is important to understand the pharmacologic action of the drug being used, and it is important to remember that the pharmacologic action of the drug selected may vary, depending on the state of the myocardium. Several drugs are available for treating cardiac arrhythmias. Quinidine is a drug that depresses myocardial contractility and decreases the rate of conduction in the myocardium. It is used mainly to prevent tachyarrhythmias; however, several undesirable side effects normally accompany its use. Procainamide has practically the same pharmacological actions as quinidine, with about the same effect on arrhythmias; however procainamide is safer than quinidine for intravenous use. Lidocaine is considered one of the most effective antiarrhythmic agents and is used primarily to combat ventricular tachyarrhythmias. It is especially useful in patients with recent myocardial infarction. Lidocaine doesn't cause a drop in blood pressure as does quinidine and procainamide; however, lidocaine does display toxic effects on the central nervous system, evidenced by symptoms such as drowsiness, twitchings and convulsions.
Research scientists are constantly looking for new antiarrhythmic agents because of the severity of these diseases of the heart, and because of the serious side effects commonly encountered with the use of currently available drugs. Several indanyl derivatives have recently been prepared which have displayed varying degrees of antiarrhythmic activity. For example, very potent antiarrhythmic agents, which are N,N-dialkyl-N'-(2-indanyl)-N'-phenyl alkylene diamines, are described in Canadian Pat. No. 910,907.
The compounds of this invention are butylamine and butenylamine derivatives which display antiarrhythmic activity. It is an object of this invention to provide novel compounds which are useful in treating cardiac arrhythmias.